Combination crib and playpen



Sept. 15, 1953 J, FIELD 2,651,786

COMBINATION CRIB AND PLAYPEN Filed May 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JohnJay Hem .INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT @FFEQE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in furniture forchildren, and the primary object of the present invention is to providea novel and improved combination crib and play pen for children.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide acombination crib" and play pen including a slidable side member or paneland enibodying novel and improved means for simultaneously locking theslidable side member in a raised position as the same is manually raisedor lifted.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a crib structurehaving a mattress supporting platform, a pivotal support carried by thecrib and disposed beneath the platform for holding the mattress when theplatform is em ployed as a play table or board, and including a gravityactuated latch for retaining the pivotal support in a normally raisedposition.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a combinationcrib and play pen of the aforementioned character that is simple andpractical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compactin structure, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensiveto manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for whichthe same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, and showing themattress removed therefrom;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the presentinvention, showing the mattress applied to the pivotal support, and withdotted lines showing the 'pivotal'support in a lowered position and themattress disposed on the platform;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially onthe plane of section line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of section line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one the gravity-actuated latches usedin conjunction with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numerals Hi and [2 represent a headboard and footboard,respectively, to the vertical side edges of which there are fixed support posts or legs Hi and I6.

Suitably fixed between the end members or the headboard and'footboardiii and i2 is a substantially horizontal platform or fixed support If!having a pair of spaced parallel, longitudinal side rails 29 and 22.

A fixed sidemember or side rail 24 is suitably fixed between the legs['4 of the end members it and I2, and this side member 2 3 includes alower horizontal bar or rail 26 and a plurality of spaced parallelvertical rails 28.

The remaining legs of the end members it) and i2, namely, the legs iii,are provided with op posed, substantially vertical, dovetail grooves atthat terminate adjacent the upper ends of the legs 16.

The numeral 32 represents a movable or slidable side member or panelhaving dovetailed side edges or ends 34 that slidably engage the grooves30. The side member 32 includes a lower horizontal rail 36 and aplurality of spaced parallel vertical bars or rails 38.

Pivotally secured to the side rail 2% of the fixed support or platformHi, as at id, is a hook member 42 having a flat bearing portion M andinclined bearing portions 48. The portions are adapted to engage theinclined edges 43 of the lower rail 36 of the side member 32 and theportion 44 is adapted to rest against the flat lower edge of rail 36 toretain the said side member 32 in a normally raised and locked position,as shown by full lines in Figure 3.

Integrally formed with the upper end of the hook member 42 is an arm 52that supports a weight 54 that will normally urge the portions 44 and'46 of the hook member 42 under the rail 36.

When the side member 32 is raised, the upper inclined edge 56 of theside rail 36 will engage the outermost of the bearing portions 48 of thehook member 52 to pivot the hook member 42 to its dotted line position,as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, whereby the weight 54 will urgethe hook outwardly to engage under the side rail 36.

Pivoted as at 58 to the legs l6, below the platform 18, are the ends ofa longitudinal side bar 60 of a pivotal lower support 62 that isnormally retained in a substantially horizontal position beneath theplatform l8 by a holding latch which is designated generally by thenumeral 64.

The latch 64 is pivoted to a hook element 65 that depends from thecentral portion of the side rail 26. This latch 64 includes a hookmember 66 having an inclined free end portion 68 that will engage theremaining longitudinal side bar 60 of the lower support 62 as the sameis raised to pivot the hook member 60 outwardly, whereupon a weightattached to the hook member will pivot the hook member 66 inwardly sothat the same will engage under the side bar 60a.

When the mattress 72 for the present crib is not disposed on theplatform l8, the same is placed on the lower support 62 as shown best inFigure 2 of the drawings.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and within the scope of the appended.claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. In a combination crib and play pen, a pair of end members, a rigidimperforate elongated platform terminally fixed to said end members, apair of side members carried by said end members, a mattress supportpivoted to said end members beneath said platform and coextensivetherewith for downward swinging movement, and means carried by one ofthe side members for retaining the support in a raised and lockedposition and spaced sufficiently from said platform to permit a mattressto be positioned between the platform and the support to be supported onthe latter.

2. In a combination crib and play pen, a pair of end members, animperforate and rigid bottom wall permanently secured to said endmembers, a pair of side members carried by said end members, a mattresssupport pivoted to said end members and mounted beneath said bottom walland coextensive therewith and a latch carried by one of said sidemembers lockably engaging said support to hold the latter againstpivotal movement and spaced suificiently from the bottom wall to permita mattress to be placed on the support and beneath the bottom wall.

3. In a combination crib and play pen, a pair of end members, a rigidand imperforate wall secured in horizontally disposed position to saidend members, a pair of side members carried by said end members, amattress support pivoted to said end members and mounted beneath saidwall and in coextensive relation therewith, and a pivotal,gravity-actuated latch carried by one of said side members lockablyengaging said support to retain the latter in a raised position andspaced sufficiently from the invention, what is wall to permit amattress to be held on the support and beneath the wall.

4. A combination crib and play pen comprising a box-like member havingan elevated, fiat, rigid imperforate bottom wall, a support pivoted tothe member beneath the bottom wall for vertical swinging movement towardand away from the bottom wall and underlying the bottom wall and beingdisposed coextensive therewith, said support being located sufiicientlybelow the bottom wall to permit a mattress to be held on the supportbelow the wall, and latch means carried by the member engaging andsupporting the support horizontally beneath the wall.

5. In a play pen including a pair of end walls, a pair of side wallsjoining the end walls and a flat, imperforate, rigid bottom wallpermanently secured to the end walls, an open frame member coextensivewith the bottom wall and pivoted to said end walls beneath said bottomwall for vertical swinging movement toward and away from the bottomwall, and a single latch mounted on one of said side Walls mediallybetween said end walls and engaging and holding the frame member againstpivotal movement.

6. In a combination crib and play pen, a pair of end members, a rigidimperforate elongated platform terminally fixed to said end members, apair of side members carried by said end members, a mattress supportpivoted to said end members beneath said platform and coextensivetherewith for downward swinging movement, a pivotal wire hook carried byone of said side members for engaging and retaining the support in araised and locked position, said hook having a portion engageable withthe support as the latter is raised so that the hook will be swung clearof the support, and means carried by the hook for urging the hook to aposition for engaging said support.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said last mentioned means includesa weight.

JOHN JAY FIELD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 411,653 Fay Sept. 24, 1889 1,211,762 Sawyer Jan. 9, 19171,270,358 Zaremba June 25, 1918 1,278,903 Frank Sept. 17, 1918 1,289,988Whitcomb et al Dec. 31, 1918 1,372,802 Davis Mar. 29, 1921 1,772,980Bennett Aug. 12, 1930 2,109,267 Grosser Feb. 22, 1938 2,243,691 BakalarMay 27, 1941 2,430,704 Brown Nov. 11, 1947 2,477,231 Bourdon July 26,1949 2,548,769 Burgin Apr. 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date345,523 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1949

